Beijing's life expectancy rises to 82.15 years

BEIJING - The average life expectancy of Beijing residents rose to 82.15 years in 2017, more than five years higher than the national average, the Beijing Daily reported Thursday.

The premature death rate for major chronic diseases of people aged between 30 to 70 was 10.8 percent in 2017, a decrease of 0.92 percent from 2016, the paper cited a health report of Beijing residents released Wednesday by the Beijing Municipal Government.

The main cause of death was chronic non-communicable diseases. Tumors, heart disease and cerebrovascular disease were the top three, accounting for 71.7 percent. In 2017, the mortality rate for Beijing residents with tumors increased to 183.8 cases per 100,000 people, accounting for 26.9 percent of total deaths, up 3.6 percent from 2016.

Huang Ruogang, deputy director of Beijing's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the rise of chronic diseases was attributed to an aging population, and changes in environment and people's lifestyle, such as lack of exercise, unhealthy diets and obesity.

The paper also reported progress in establishing a hierarchical medical system, saving 6.74 billion yuan (about $1 billion) in medical expenses.

This year, the municipal government plans to promote a health assessment service in the city and provide fitness guidance for residents.